Friday Feature: Potential Specialty Crop – Florida Tea Production

Jun 28, 2022

By Doug Mayo

Researchers at the University of Florida’s Horticulture Department have been evaluating the possibility of tea production in Florida. This week’s featured video was published by UF/IFAS to share the highlights of the trails that have been conducted south of Gainesville, at the Plant Research and Education Center. As popular as specialty teas have become in the US, there may be potential for this alternative crop in the region. Tea is in the same plant family as camellias, so there is hope that suitable lines can be found for further testing. At this point, scientists are simply trying to identify cultivars that are adapted to this climate, but have also begun working on possible production practices.

Source : ufl.edu

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.